Parents, please note – make sure that you keep your kid physically active, for a new study has revealed that children who are more active during the day fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly at night.

An international team, led by Monash University, has carried out the study and found that active kids fall asleep in just 26 minutes, whereas the average child takes at least 45 minutes to shut eye.

Researchers have based their findings on an analysis of the sleeping patterns of 500 children -- the study showed that the time it takes children to fall asleep is extended by three minutes for every hour that they are inactive.

The children in the study took an average of 26 minutes to fall asleep with the majority of children falling asleep within 45 minutes, according to the findings reported by the team.

Furthermore, the researchers found that active kids also sleep for longer than their more sedentary counterparts.

Watching television had the same effect just as reading. Both physically inactive tasks resulted in children taking longer to nod off, the study showed.

"As short sleep duration is associated with obesity and lower cognitive performance, community emphasis on the importance of promoting healthy sleep in children is vitally important.

"This study emphasises the importance of physical activity for children, not only for fitness, cardiovascular health and weight control but also for sleep," the researchers said.